Honoria felt her eyes widen. His fingertips slid across the sensitive skin beneath her chin; sharp slivers of sensation shivered through her. Her lungs had seized; it took considerable effort to lift her chin free of his touch. Haughtily, she stated: "I'm too wise to play with fire, Your Grace."
"Indeed?" His lips curved. "I thought you wanted excitement in your life?"
"On my terms."
"In that case, my dear, we'll have to negotiate."
"Indeed?" Honoria tried for airy nonchalance. "Why so?"
"Because you're shortly to become my duchess-that's why."
The glance she bent on him held every ounce of exasperation she could summon, then, with a swish of her skirts, she turned and stepped out of his shadow, following the balustrade. "I've warned you-don't later say I haven't. I am not going to marry you at the end of three months." She paused, then, head rising; eyes widening, she swung back and waved a finger at him. "And I am not a challenge-don't you dare view me as such."
His laughter was that of a pirate-a buccaneer, a swash buckling rogue who should have been safely on a deck in the middle of some ocean-nowhere near her. The sound, deep, rolling, and far too sure, held a threat and a promise; it enveloped her, caught her up, and held her-then he was there, before her once more.
"You are challenge personified, Honoria Prudence."
"You are riding for a fall, Your Grace."
"I'll be riding you before Christmas."
The deliberate reference shocked Honoria, but she wasn't about to let it show. Keeping her chin high, she narrowed her eyes. "You aren't, by any chance, imagining you're going to seduce me into marriage?"
One arrogant black brow rose. "The thought had crossed my mind."
"Well it won't work." When his second brow joined the first, Honoria smiled, supremely confident. "I cut my eye-teeth long ago-I know perfectly well you won't press me while I'm residing under your roof, in your mother's care."
For a long moment, he held her gaze. Then he asked: "How much do you know of seduction?"
It was Honoria's turn to raise her brows. Taking another step along the terrace, she shrugged lightly. "You won't be the first to try it."
"Possibly not, but I'll be the first to succeed."
Honoria sighed. "You won't, you know." Glancing up, she saw him frown. She narrowed her eyes. "Succeed, I mean." The frown disappeared. He paced slowly beside her as she strolled the flags. "I know you won't force me-I'll simply call your bluff."
She felt his glance; oddly, it was less intense, less disturbing than before. When he spoke, she detected faint amusement in his tone. "No force, no bluff." He met her gaze as she glanced up. "There's a lot you have to learn about seduction, Honoria Prudence, and this time, you'll be dealing with a master."
Honoria shook her head despairingly. Well, she'd warned him. He was so arrogantly confident it would do him good to be taken down a peg or two-to learn that not all things on this earth would meekly bow to his rule.
The evening reached chill fingers through her gown; she shivered.
Devil's hand on her arm halted her. "We should go in."
Honoria half turned-and found herself facing him. As she watched, his expression hardened; abruptly, he leaned closer. With a stifled shriek, she backed-into the balustrade. He set his hands on the stone parapet, one on either side of her, caging her between his arms.
Breathless, her heart racing, she blinked into his eyes, now level with hers. "You promised not to bite."
His expression was graven. "I haven't-yet." His eyes searched hers. "As you've been so ingenuously frank, the least I can do is return the favor-so that we understand each other fully." He held her gaze steadily; Honoria felt the full weight of his will. "I will not permit you to turn your back on who you are, on the destiny that was always intended to be yours. I will not let you turn yourself into a governessing drudge, nor an eccentric to titillate the ton.
Honoria's expression blanked.
Devil held her gaze ruthlessly. "You were born and bred to take a position at the head of the ton-that position now lies at your feet. You have three months to reconcile yourself to the reality. Don't imagine you can run from it."
Pale, inwardly quivering, Honoria wrenched her gaze from his. Turning, she yanked at his sleeve.
Letting go of the balustrade, Devil straightened, leaving her escape route clear. Honoria hesitated, then, her expression as stony as his, she turned and looked him straight in the eye. "You have no right to decree what my life is to be."
"I have every right." Devil's expression softened not at all; his gaze was mercilous. "You will be what you were meant to be-mine."